Machine-to-machine communication (M2M) is a network based application and service focusing on intelligent interaction between machines. By embedding a wireless or wired communication module and application processing logic in a machine, M2M implements information requirements of users in surveillance, commanding and scheduling, data collection, and measurement operations. In an M2M system, all types of M2M devices, such as various sensors for example, are connected to an M2M service platform directly via an M2M gateway. Thereby, different M2M services are implemented, such as electric meter reading and intelligent traffic control. Data collected by M2M devices can be acquired or M2M devices can be controlled and managed through service capabilities provided by the M2M service platform.
There are many types of M2M devices, such as an application type, an access right type, and a management object type. M2M devices can be grouped and each group has a group type to indicate the type of members in the group. If all members of a group belong to one type, the type of the group is this consistent type. If the members of a group belong to different types, the type of the group is a hybrid type.
In a prior art, M2M services always require group operations on a group of devices of the same type without expecting other types of members in the group to participate in the operation. When a group server receives a group creation request or group update request, the group server checks the type of members in the group. A failure of the check will immediately lead to a failure of group creation or group update. Yet the check failure may be a result of many causes. For example, some member devices in the group may be dormant and as a result cannot be checked. Therefore, the probability of the group creation or group update failure is high, which hinders the flexibility of use.